i felt like a fool a few minutes in, actually thinking the show might actually be funny this year, while it hasn't been in years.

It's been crappy for a decade or longer. Ever since the daily show showed everyone how it's done, snl weekend update looked like utter beep if only because everyone would always compare it to the daily show masterpiece. Still, it's the easiest-to-produce sketch of the bunch, and it's also the longest. Given the duration of the show, I can sort of understand why they keep doing it, but at the same time, it's also a sign of utter laziness. Overall, SNL really needs some decent writers on the show.
Oh well.

Maybe you need to watch the Faux News Channel. Its the hearsay news channel with no sense of humor.

OK says you, and who cares?